Get to Know: Mascagni’s “Cavalleria rusticana” and Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci”

For the first time in more than 15 years, Lyric Opera of Chicago presents opera’s most thrilling double bill: Cavalleria rusticana, composed by Pietro Mascagni, and Pagliacci, composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The themes of spurned lovers, betrayal, and deception, and the timeless drama of a love triangle remain as gripping as ever. More than a century after their composition, Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci remain an iconic operatic duo, each a gripping portrait of human passion, each bursting with drama that feels as raw and immediate today as it did at their premieres.

Lyric’s own Music Director Enrique Mazzola leads a world-class cast in this whirlwind of drama and passion. Lyric favorite, tenor Russell Thomas, returns as Canio, following his role as Florestan in Fidelio during the 2024/25 Season. Two alumni of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center return home: baritone Quinn Kelsey in the dual roles of Alfio and Tonio and contralto Lauren Decker as Mama Lucia. Also returning is the ever-talented soprano Gabriella Reyes as the captivating Nedda. In their company debuts, Lyric welcomes mezzo-soprano Yulia Matochkina as Santuzza, baritone Luke Sutliff as Silvio, and tenor SeokJong Baek as Turiddu. With these two all-star casts, Cav/Pag is poised to be one of the most exciting offerings of the season.

Designer Michael Yeargan’s Cavalleria rusticana set instantly transports us to the sun-drenched streets of Sicily. It’s Easter, and Turiddu has just returned to his home village after a long military service. Hoping to reunite with his former fiancée, Lola, he learns that she has married the local cart driver, Alfio, in his absence. Furious and vengeful, Turiddu seduces a young local woman, Santuzza, in an attempt to make Lola jealous. The plan works all too well; his renewed affair with Lola becomes both passionate and conspicuously public, sparking gossip throughout the village. Distressed, Santuzza seeks answers from Mama Lucia, the local wine shop owner and Turiddu’s mother. Unaware of the affair, Mama Lucia unknowingly tells her that Turiddu is off buying wine in the next town, when he is actually with Lola. As the conversation unfolds, enough clues emerge to reveal the truth: Turiddu and Lola are back together. When Turiddu returns, the scorned Alfio challenges him to a duel. Turiddu accepts, raising the stakes by insisting it be to the death. With lives hanging in the balance, this tragic tale unfolds with explosive emotion. Cavalleria rusticana is guaranteed to keep audiences riveted to the stage.

In another Italian village, Pagliacci opens when Canio and his traveling troupe arrive and announce their impending performance. After brushing off rumors of an affair between his young wife, Nedda, and fellow performer Tonio, Canio heads off to get a drink with his fellow troupe members. Tonio, secretly in love with Nedda, confesses his feelings to her. When she rejects him, he attempts to force himself on her. Nedda drives him away. As Tonio slinks off, we discover that Nedda is indeed having an affair — not with Tonio, but with a local peasant named Silvio. Though they try to keep it hidden, Canio discovers them together, shrouded in darkness. Silvio escapes before Canio can see his face, leaving the betrayed husband desperate to uncover the truth. Nedda refuses to name her lover, and so Canio, as the clown, Pagliacci, must go onstage without his answer. As the play unfolds, art and reality collide. What begins as theatrical comedy spirals into real heartbreak and violence, culminating in one of opera’s most famously bloody finales. Pagliacci blurs the line between performance and passion in a drama that never grows old.

Born in Livorno, Italy, in 1863, Pietro Mascagni showed musical promise from a young age. In July of 1888, at the age of 25, he entered an opera competition, which promised the winners a professional staging in Rome. He had been rushed, however, and, disappointed with his work, he tucked the Cavalleria rusticana score in his desk. Mascagni’s wife, conversely, saw the work’s potential and secretly submitted the piece hours before the deadline. Now, 134 years later, Cavalleria rusticana returns to the Lyric stage, paired with a masterwork it partially inspired: Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo.

Inspired by Mascagni’s success, Leoncavallo sought to write an opera that could match the cultural impact of Cavalleria rusticana. Basing his concept on real events he’d witnessed as a boy (or so he sometimes said), he crafted both the libretto and score for Il pagliaccio (The Clown). Critics were initially hesitant to give the piece praise, yet the opera was a public triumph. After touring in the U.K., the opera made its way to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, where the two operas were paired for the first time.

Don’t let the idyllic Sicilian countryside fool you — Cav/Pag is filled with duels to the death, fourth-wall-breaking murder, and heart-swelling emotion. This classic pairing is perfect for both longtime opera lovers and newcomers alike. With soaring arias, unforgettable choruses, and high-stakes storytelling, Lyric’s 2025 production brings new electricity to this timeless double bill. Whether you're drawn to Mascagni’s torrid tragedy or Leoncavallo’s cruel crescendo, Cav/Pag promises a riveting night at the opera.

Experience Opera's most thrilling double bill, Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci, beginning Friday, November 7. Learn more and get your tickets for Mascagni & Leoncavallo's duo of passionate one-act operas at Lyricopera.org/CavPag.